Several methods and associated apparatus for protecting perishable products during transport have been used including insulated cargo quilts, refrigerated carts, plastic wrapped pallets, vacuum and the like. These methods and related apparatus either include dedicated, one-time use materials or hardware items that are bulky and difficult to return for re-use or re-shipment.
Further, these methods and associated apparatus are limited in their thermal insulation qualities and as such are unsuitable for extended transport logistics which may include off-loading to land based delivery transportation.
The thermally insulated, collapsible cover assembly and method of using to transport perishable products of U.S. Pat. No. 8,250,835 provides an insulated container which is collapsible for after use for protective storage and transport for shipping and reuse. The collapsible insulated Jet Pod® cover assembly breaks down to allow it to be stored or boxed and shipped, by having some or all the jet pod cover assembly sidewalls and sidewall edges foldable to collapse and fit together with the cover bottom and top portions into a shipping box for return after use. Rigid portions of the jet pod cover assembly likewise are capable of being contained with the jet pod cover assembly bottom and top portions within the shipping box. All components of the thermally insulated, collapsible cover assembly and method of using to transport perishable products of U.S. Pat. No. 8,250,835 are recyclable in keeping with the green initiatives being introduced in and favored by the product transport protection industry.
Likewise, the cooler box of U.S. Pat. No. 8,292,119 provides an insulated container which is collapsible for smaller storage or shipping for reuse. The collapsible insulated cooler box breaks down to allow it to be stored or boxed and shipped, by having some or all the container sidewalls and sidewall edges foldable to collapse and fit within the container bottom and top surfaces. Rigid portions of the cooler box likewise are capable of being contained within the container bottom and top surfaces and collapsed side walls. All components of the cooler box of U.S. Pat. No. 8,292,119 are recyclable in keeping with the green initiatives being introduced in and favored by the product transport protection industry.
Applicant's prior U.S. Pat. No. 8,250,835, entitled Thermally Insulated, Collapsible Cover Assembly and Method of Using to Transport Perishable Produce, and Applicant's prior U.S. Pat. No. 8,292,119, entitled Cooler Box, are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. These inventions, while demonstrably overcoming the limitations of the prior art and suitable for their intended utility, are not capable for keeping large shipments of perishable products within a desired temperature range over extended periods of time.
The refrigerated, thermally insulated, collapsible cover assembly and method of using to transport perishable products includes, without limitation, the following examples of products which would benefit from the disclosed embodiments in this application: diagnostic and clinical specimen, blood serums, pharmaceuticals, and non-frozen produce or food items. In many instances, multi-governmental regulations govern the transport of these products.
For instance, in the non-frozen food and produce arena, on Jan. 4, 2011, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law. The FSMA was prompted after many reported incidents of foodborne illnesses during the first decade of this century and was largely crafted by members of the Grocery Manufacturers Association. Tainted food has cost the food industry billions of dollars in recalls, lost sales and legal expenses. The FSMA is the first major piece of federal legislation addressing food safety since 1938. It is also the first piece of legislation to address intentional adulteration and food defense. The standards and requirements for perishable food transport are significantly heightened by this legislation, requiring better systems to handle producing, processing, transporting, and preparing foods to insure a safer food supply. The FSMA Final Rule on Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food went into effect on Apr. 16, 2017. For transporting perishable foods, the FMSA now demands carriers' strict adherence when planning temperature requirements for shipments. If temperatures during transport go outside of the requirements and the food is deemed adulterated, the consequences can be serious, including refusal at receiving, waste, and possible litigation. Shippers are required to communicate, in writing, their food safety requirements to carriers in equipment, operations and training. Many aspects of the FSMA reflect harmony with international efforts to handle producing, processing, transporting, and preparing foods to insure a safer food supply.
Response by produce shippers to the FMSA, and other governmental standards for medical and biologic safe transport, is to increase use of bubble wrap insulation and glycol-based gel cool packs. This approach presents non-reusable waste or toxic by-products. For example, each LD-7 container requires at least 500 square feet of bubble wrap insulation and nearly 50 pounds of glycol-based gel cool packs. For air transport of products between Hawaii and the mainland United States, the annual use of these non-re-usable products would generate 2.5 million square feet of bubble wrap, and 500,000 pounds of non-biodegradable glycol. Other approaches are use of individual packs of dry ice in a single shipment, which does not provide a scalable economic model for large scale trans port over long distances.
Thus, an objective of an embodiment of the refrigerated, thermally insulated, collapsible cover assembly and method of using to transport perishable products is to provide a lightweight and durable product container and temperature control system capable of keeping large volumes of products at a desired temperature from point of shipping to point of delivery over extended periods of time within the new strictures of the FSMA, and similar regulations.
Yet another principal objective of an embodiment of the refrigerated, thermally insulated, collapsible cover assembly and method of using to transport perishable products is to provide an efficient and inexpensive design, from the stand point of both the cost of the materials and the quantity of materials used in manufacture of the refrigerated, thermally insulated, collapsible cover system, assembly, and method of use to transport products. The refrigerated, thermally insulated, collapsible cover system, assembly and method of use to transport perishable products is easily manufactured. Additionally, the refrigerated, thermally insulated, collapsible cover system, assembly and method of use to transport perishable products is readily assembled such that thermal problems are minimized during set-up and use. The refrigerated, thermally insulated, collapsible cover system, assembly and method of use is provided for transport and delivery of perishable products across many time zones and over thousands of miles.
A further objective of an embodiment of the refrigerated, thermally insulated, collapsible cover system, assembly and method of use to transport perishable products is to provide reusable and/or recyclable components which allow easy and low-cost transport when not in use. The reusable and/or recyclable components are made from light weight, strong materials where component structural integrity is a factor, and recycled or environmentally safe disposable products where component replacement is a factor.
Another objective of an embodiment of the refrigerated, thermally insulated, collapsible cover system, assembly and method of use to transport perishable products is to provide a thermally stable cover sized to conveniently and economically house a plurality of product packs arranged in a three-dimensional array upon a LD-7 container. The standard dimensions of the LD-7 metal base plate are 125 inches in length by 96 inches in width. Adding a 64-inch product packed pallet loading height specification provides a refrigerated, thermally insulated container volume of approximately 745 cubic feet to air transport perishable products and provide uniform thermal stability for the product packs from a point of shipping the product packs to a point of receiving the product packs.